A VIP networking event is held during the Korea Blockchain Week (KBW) 2023 conference in Seoul last September. /KBW Social Media

The entry of global blockchain companies into the South Korean market is expected to continue this year. From renowned enterprises to budding startups, various businesses plan to establish their presence in the domestic market. The blockchain industry regards the Korean market as a strategic hub for global business expansion.

According to the blockchain industry on Feb. 10, Fireblocks, headquartered in New York, United States, plans to hold its inaugural public offline event in South Korea in March this year. The event will introduce Fireblocks’ business model and strategy for entering the Korean market. Fireblocks provides technology for virtual asset transfers, payments, and custody. Banks such as the Bank of New York Mellon in the U.S. and ANZ Bank in the Oceania region use Fireblocks’ technology.

“This year, we aim to forge strategic partnerships with major South Korean financial companies to offer virtual asset custody services and streamline virtual asset transfers in collaboration with cryptocurrency exchanges,” said a Fireblocks official.

Oasys, a Japanese blockchain developer specializing in gaming, has earmarked the first quarter of this year to concentrate on the Korean market. Oasys is hastening its entry into Korea, believing its business will generate substantial collaboration once established in the Korean market. The robust interest in gaming within the Korean market is considered fertile ground for developing game-specialized blockchains.

Dominic Jang, Global Head of BD at Oasys, said, “South Korea is equipped with popular intellectual properties (IPs) from major game companies and a high-quality gaming industry infrastructure. From Oasys’ standpoint, Korea is where we must swiftly secure market leadership.” He added, “We are currently in discussions with various South Korean companies and are devising strategies to make Oasys’ blockchain games easily accessible to domestic users.”

Foreign blockchain companies are seeking to enter the Korean market due to the country’s blockchain-friendly industry and consumer base. South Korea is home to individual investors with a strong interest in virtual asset investments. Furthermore, its highly developed cultural content industries, such as gaming and movies, hold abundant potential for collaboration with the blockchain industry.

This article was originally published on Feb. 10, 2024.